A search party looking for an An-2 biplane that took off without permission from the Urals city of Serov earlier this month has instead found wreckage of a different An-2.
Those remains have been uncovered, along with fragments of a Mi-8 helicopter, during the 2 1/2 week rescue effort, Urals district Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman Vadim Grebennikov told Interfax on Thursday.
The still-missing An-2 went on an unauthorized flight on June 11 with 13 passengers on board, including the local traffic police chief, and mysteriously disappeared.
Local sources said the people believed to have been on board had been drinking before takeoff. Police said the revelers were possibly heading out on a fishing trip or to a banya in a neighboring district.
Search planes have surveyed 219,200 square kilometers looking for the missing An-2, and ground crews have covered 951 square kilometers, a Sverdlovsk region Emergency Situations Ministry spokesperson told Interfax.
There are 1,455 people involved in the search effort and about 300 vehicles, including 11 aircraft, the spokesperson said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.